stoeltzlen



Feb. 1925- 1,525,257

L. v. STOELTZLEN TIME CONTROLLED DEVICE Filed Oct. 14, 1921 Patented Feb. 3, 1 925.

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

LEO V. STOELTZLEN, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

TIME-CONTROLLED DEVICE.

Application filed October 14, 1921.

This invention is designed to close an b electric circuit at a predetermined time. It is particularly advantageous in connection with automobiles where it is desirable to have the lights turned on automatically and it is also preferable to have the time at which the lights may be turned on shifted to suit conditions. With the present invention this-may be accomplished. Other features of t e invention will appear from the specification and claims. s

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows Fig. 1 shows a front view of the clock.

Fig. 2 a side elevation, partly in section, on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 an enlarged central section through the switch.

Fig. 4' a bottom view of the star wheel.

1 marks the clock case, 2 the glass cover secured by the flange ring 3, and 4 the dial face. The clock hasthe usual hour hand 5 and minute hand 6. The hour hand is mounted on a hollow shaft 7 and the minute hand on a central shaft 8, these shafts bein operated by any suitable clock mechanism" (not shown). The central post 8 extends through the hollow shaft 7 and slightly above it. v

The light 10 is shown in outline and the Wires 11 and 12 lead to and from the li ht,

the wire 12 extending from a source'ofe tric supply asa battery 13. "A wire 14 extends from the battery to a terminal 15 which is attached to the'side of the case 1 and thus grounds this side of the circuit. The wire 11 extends through the insulating plug 16 in the wall of the case 1 and into a segment or curved late 17, the curved plate being insulated. from the case by an insulating strip 19.

An arm 20 has a hub 21 and is pivotally mounted on the shaft 8. The arm 20 is provided with a return bend 22. A star wheel 23 is rotativelymounted under the return bend 22 by means of a stud 24 which extends through the star wheel and the return bend 22 and is headed over on the top of the Serial No. 507,595.

return bend. The star wheel is struck up from a plate 25 and this plate has a downwardly extending flange 26, the flange having the segmental projections 27, there being one of these projections for each alternate tooth of the star wheel. An insulating plate 28 is arranged within the flange 26, the plate having etween the segments 27 so that the under face of the wheel 23 presents along its periphery alternate segmental portions of insulating material and conducting material. the conducting materialbeing formed with the star wheel 23 and thus in circuit through the arm 20 and shaft 8 with the clock case on which the wire 14 is grounded.

A brush 29 is secured at the end of the arm 20 by means of a fiber screw 30, the brush being insulated from the arm 20 by' an insulation 31. The brush sweeps the plate 17 as the arm 20 is swung on its pivot. The brush has an inturned lip 32 on which the underside of the star wheel, or plate 25 rests. A key slot 33 is provided in the hub 21 by means of which the arm 20 may be set at any position along the plate 17 that it may be desired to have the device operate, that is to say, the arm may be set to correspond with any of the figures on the clock dial. 7

In the operation of the device the arm 20 having been set to the position on the dial g corresponding to the time it is desired to have the switch operate, the star wheel being set ,to bring the insulating portion be-.

tween the segments 27 .on

the lip 32 the circult is open. When the hour hand reaches the star wheel it engages a tooth of the star wheel and through its progress rotates projections filling the space.

the star wheel forward one tooth. This shifts the plate 25 on the lip 32 moving the insulated portion off the lip 32 and bringing the segment 27 into contact with the lip 32 thus closing the circuit and turnin on the circuit through the light. It will readily be seen that with this device the time for closing the switch may be very readily controlled and ing the arm 20 and that it is all accomplishedwith a single dial and with a minimum of mechanism, it being possible to light at the hand on. its second passage by the star wheel changed by position- 1 llO ' and cut off the light.

as they are now constructed.

What I cla1m as new 1s:

1. In a time controlled switch, the combination of a clock hand; a curved plate; an

electric switch actuated by the hand; a swinging mounting for the switch having an axis coincident with the center of the curved plate; and a brush carried by the mounting maintaining contact with the plate. A

2 In a time controlled switch, the combination of a clock hand an electric switch comprising a star wheel having alternate insulating and conducting segments, the teeth of the star wheel being in the path of the the device may be made veryv shallow and can be readily applied to clocks hand and the action of the hand being adapted to advance the star wheel one tooth to open or close the circuit as the hand passes the star wheel; a swinging mounting for the star wheel; a curved plate having a center coincident with the axis of the swinging mounting; and a brush carried by the mounting and following the plate and completing the circuit through the star wheel.

3. Ina time controlled switch, the combination of a clock comprising a dial and" hand; a glass closure for the dial and hand;

an electric switch actuated by the clock hand, said switch comprising a star wheel in the path of. the hand; a swinging mounting for the switch having an axis coincident with the axis of the hand; and means extending through the glass closure for turning the swinging mounting to set the switch to change the time at which the hand actuates the switch; 4

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' LEO W STOFiLTZLEN. 

